LETTER: Let's return Republicans to House minority in 2014

What in the world has happened to the Republican Party? It has been hijacked by the far-right lunatic fringe. Party leadership appears to have no ability or desire to return to reality. Shutting down the government was a bonehead move by a dysfunctional, fragmented, out-of-touch party.

A clear majority of the people spoke in 2012. They elected Barack Obama, who ran on the merits of the Affordable Care Act, and rejected Mitt Romney, who ran against it. The Supreme Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of the act and upheld it. Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.”

I really hate to classify a whole group based on the insane antics of a few, but actions of the Republican Party fit the definition of insanity. House Republicans have voted, without success, 42 times to repeal the act and continue to do so. They are so out of touch with reality it is sadly laughable.

The antics of Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin have provided excellent material for comics for years and continue to do so. Hopefully, we will remember the poor performance of the House Republicans next year when their seats are up for election.

We need to start a “vote against Republican incumbents” movement to totally overhaul the House and hopefully elect representatives who understand the importance of reality and govern for the people, not against the people.